Switch-operating mechanism.



No. 894,297 PATENTED JULY 28, 1908. A. C. TUNISON. SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l;

wifneouon, 754/{00 No. 894,297. PATENTED JULY 28, 1908. A. 0. TUNISON.

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 894,297. PATENTED JULY 28, 1908.

A. C. TUNISON. SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

P LI TIO FILED A P GA N MAR 8 1906 SSHEETS-SHEET 3.

( uinea No:

hm ww w 0 Witnesses 41%0/ 5/745210 Mo t:

ARTHUR O. TUNISON, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented -Tuly 28, 1908.

Application filed March 8, 1906. Serial No. 304,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR'O. TUNISON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch- Operating Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to switches and especially to thoseknown as street-car or tongue switches and has for its object to provide a mechanism forthrowing the switch which shall be controlled from and operated by a car; which will allow a car to pass over it from beyond the switch without disturbing the throw of the switch; which will remain thrown for either track until thrown to the other track; which is readily thrown to connect with either track; which has a single operating mechanism on the car; which has a separate mechanism for throwing it to the,

and operation; which is diflicult to operate by accident or by other means than a car; and which is not unsightly in the street. I attain these objects by the mechanisms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of a switch equipped with my operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing a car having just operated the setting mechanism and assing forward to the throwing mechanism.

ig. 3 is a plan of the switch tongue. Fig. 4 and 5 are respectively plan and side view of the tongue operating crank. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively side view and plan of the car engaging lever. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively side view and plan of the switch throwing lever. Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively a plan and a vertical longitudinal section of the switch throwing head. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the mechanism within the boX showing the positions of the parts thereof in the normal position of the switch, and Figs. 13 and 14 are similar views showing portions of said mechanisms in positions assumed thereby respectively when the switch is thrown to side track, and when the mechanism is set to throw the switch to side track.

rail.

of these mechanisms which are engaged by the moving car are arranged adjacent to the outer edge of the left rail of the track. The portion operating the third mechanism, as above, is located furthest from the switch; that portion which operates the second mechanism is located a little nearer to the switch; while that portion which operates the first mechanism is located comparatively close to the switch.

The portion of the first mechanism A (Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 9) which is engaged and actuated by the moving car 1 consists of a tread bar or lever 2 pivoted at 3 to the side of the rail 4 in such position that the portion thereof which extends above the level of the=head of the rail will be between the pivot 3 and the operating end of the lever so that when a car wheel rolls on the lever 2 it forces the operating end thereof downward. The operating end of this lever 2 is slightly offset and enters into the mechanism boX 5 being connected therein by a link "6 to the crank7 of the hori zontal controlling shaft 8 mounted in said boX 5. the second and third mechanisms respectively, which are engaged by the moving car, are similar to each other but are connected by separate rods to difierent mechanisms Within the boX and are illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7. The tread bar of the second and third mechanisms, is pivoted beside the rail 4 at 9 and has the portion The portions B and O of 10 nearest the switch normally raised a few inches above the level of the rail 4 so that when a car passes along the rail it will depress the part 10 to the level of the The other end 11 of the bar is offset several inches away from the rail and carries an engaging trigger 12 pivoted to its end, to the lower end of which is secured the rod which leads into the mechanism box 5. The part 11 and trigger 12 are normally kept below the level of the rail by the spring The trigger 12 is arranged so that when the part 10 of the tread bar is depressed and the part 11 is raised, it will extend above the level of the rail 4, and several inches to one side thereof, in such position that the operator on the car may engage it, if he so desires, and thus cause the rod secured to its lower end to set in action the mechanism which it controls.

The engaging device secured to the car 1 consists of a pivoted arm 14 adapted, when lowered, to engage the trigger 12, a tension roc 15 joining the arm 14 to the foot operated crank 16 on the platform of the car. The parts are so arranged that when the crank 16 is stepped on it pulls down the arm 14 into position so that it will engage the trigger 12 as the car presses the part 10 of the tread bar down.

The switch tongue "17 is of the usual form and is kept pressed to the normal position by the spring 18 mounted in the box 19 beside the switch. The tongue 17 is thrown to the side track side of the switch by the bell crank lever 20, pivoted to the switch casting below the tongue 17, and having a lip or lug 21 engaging the tongue 17 on the rail side thereof near its point so that when the lever is actuated it will force the point of the tongue 17 over to the other side of the switch. The rod 22 leads from the bell crank lever 20 to the mechanism box 5 into which it passes. The end of the rod 22 which is within the box 5 is forked to receive the end of the part 23 of the spring link, the parts 22 and 23 being pivotally secured together by the horizontal pin 24 which is long enough to extend on each side of the forked end of rod 22 and to slide in the horizontal guide slots 25 in the supporting frame or bracket 26 secured in the box 5. The part 23 of the spring link slides within the part "27 and has lugs 28 at its end, extending through slots in the part 27. The part 27 is hollow for most of its length and is slotted as above indicated to allow the lugs 28 to slide freely along it and to extend through it to the outer surface thereof. It is also provided with an enlargement or ring 29 between which and the lugs 28 the spring 30 is wound in such manner as to keep said parts 28 and 29 as far apart as possible, in other words to keep the part 23 the full distance within the part 27. The part 27 is also provided with a forked head 31 extending downwards therefrom and having the pin 32 passing longitudinally through it and extending out on each side thereof.

It is evident that if the head 31 is pulled forward the spring 30 will be compressed between the parts 28 and 29 and will force the part 27 with the rod 22 forward, this action will cause the bell crank described.

lever 20 to move, by means of the engaging lug "21, the tongue 17 of the switch against the action of the spring "18. It is also evident that if the head 31 is held forward, so that the switch tongue is set for the sidetrack, and a car should pass on the main track over the switch from the opposite direction it would force the tongue over temporarily to its normal position and would cause the bell crank lever 20 to turn on its pivot and would pull the rod 22 so that the part 23 would slide within the part 27 and the parts 28 and 29 would compress the spring 30 therebetween.

The mechanism within the box 5 by means of which the position of the switch tongue 17 is controlled, consists of means for pulling the head 31 forward, means for releasing the head from the forward position, and means for looking or releasing said pullin means. This mechanism consists of a horizontal shaft 8 journaled in said box 5 and being provided with a crank arm 7 which is secured to the end of the lever 2, through the link 6, so that when said lever 2 is depressed the shaft 8 is rotated in its bearings against the action of the spring 33 which is connected between the box "5 and the latch arm 34. This latch arm 34 is secured to the shaft 8 in such position as to be engaged, when the spring 33 is tightened, by the hook end of the bell crank latch hook 35 the other end of which is connected by the rod 36 to the end of the trigger 12 of the second mechanism "13 above The shaft 8 has also a pulling crank or lug 37 which is secured thereto in such position as to enter between the forks of the head 31 of the spring link above described. This pulling crank is provided with a notch "38 adapted to receive the pin 32 and to hold it. Thus if the mechanism in the box 5 is in the positions shown in Fig. 12 and a car 1 acts on the trigger 12 of the mechanism B, the rod 36 is pulled and the latch hook 35 releases the latch arm 34 and the shaft turns under the action of spring 33 to the position shown in Fig. 14, when the pin 32 falls into the notch 38 of the pulling crank 37 At the same time the rotation of the shaft 8 has caused the crank 7 to raise, through the link 6, the end of the lever 2 so that said lever is above the level of the rail. Now when the car 1 reaches the lever 2 it forces it down and causes it to rotate the shaft 8 with the pulling crank 37 and thus causes the switch tongue 17 to be thrown for the side track; and when the shaft has been thus rotated the latch hook 35again engages the latch arm 34 and holds the mechanism in the positions shown in Fig. 13. The trigger 12 of the mechanism C, which is adapted to release the mechanism so as to allow the switch 17 to return to its normal position under the ac tion of the spring 18, is connected by the rod 39 to the pivoted fork 40 whose tines are on each side of the pulling crank 37 and are wide enough for the tines of the forked head 31 to pass between them. This fork 40 is hung from the bracket 26 so as not to interfere with the actions above described except when its operating mechanism C is being acted upon by a car and then its tines are forced upward and if the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 13, it causes the pin 32 to be lifted from the notch 38 and thus allows the spring link, the rod 22, the lever 20, and the tongue 17 to return to their normal positions as shownin Fig. 12. If the mechanism C should be operated when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 12 no effect is had on the switch.

If a car is passing from the side track to the main track from beyond the switch, which is set for the main track, the wheels thereof will force the tongue 17, against the action of the spring 18, to the sidetrack side of the switch as they pass and this will not affect in any manner the switch operating mechanism, since the lug 21 on the lever 20 is on the rail side of the tongue 17, hence the tongue is simply moved away from the lug 2 1 by the wheels without disturbing the lever 20 If a car is passing towards the switch but does not desire to throw it, whichever track it may be set for,,

the arm 14 on the car is not lowered, so that although, as the wheels pass over the portions 10 of the tread bars and the portions 11 with the triggers 12 are elevated, the rods 36 or 39 are not operated by this action of the wheels, and since the lever 2 is not elevated above the rail, the car does not disturb the switch. If, however, the switch is thrown for the side track and it is desired to set it for the main track, the arm 14 is lowered before the mechanism C is reached, and as the car passes over the part 10 of this mechanism it raises the trigger 12 thereof so that the arm 14 will engage the trigger and will pull the rod 39 so that the fork 40 will disengage the head of the spring link from the pulling crank 37, the spring "18 then forces the tongue 17 over to its normal or main track position and the lever 20 rod 22 and spring link are returned to the position shown in Fig. 12. When the car has passed the mechanism C the arm 14 is raised again so as not to engage with the trigger of mechanism B. If, however, the switch is thrown for the main track and it is desired to set it for the side track, the arm 14 is lowered before the mechanism B is reached and it operates in the same manner on the trigger 12 thereof, causing the rod 36 to raise the latch hook 35 from the arm 34 thus causing the shaft 8 to rotate and elevating the lever 2 of mechanism A, above the level of the rail, and causing the pulling crank 37 to engage the head of the spring link. The car then passes from mechanism B to A and its wheels force the lever 2 down to the level of the rail, and in doing so it forces the shaft 8 through the link 6 and the crank 7 to rotate, and as the shaft rotates it causes the crank 37 the spring link, the rod 22 the lever 20 and the tongue'17 to move as already described.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a car switching device, the combination of a switch tongue, a lever lying longitudinally beside the rail and adapted to be depressed by the car wheels on the rail, releasable means oining said lever with said tongue whereby said tongue is moved by the downward motion of said lever when said means is closed, and independent car operated mechanism for closing said releasable means.

2. In a car switching device, the combination of a switch tongue, a lever lyin longitudinally beside the rail and normally out of the path of the car wheels on the rail, a releasable latch whereby said lever is normally locked in said position, means for releasing said latch whereby said lever is placed in the path of the car wheels on the rail, and means joining said tongue with said lever whereby said tongue is moved by the motion of said lever when acted on by the car wheels.

3. Ina switching device, the combination of a switch tongue, a lever lying longitudinally beside the rail and normally depressed out of the path of the car wheels on the rail, a releasable latch whereby said lever is normally locked in said depressed position,

means for releasing said latch whereby said 1 lever is permitted to rise above the level of the rail and in the path of the wheels thereon, and releasable means joining said tongue with said lever whereby said tongue is moved by the downward motion of said lever under the pressure of the car wheel.

4. In a car switching device, the combination of a switch tongue, a lever lying longitudinally beside the rail and normally depressed out of the ath of the car wheels thereon, a releasable atch whereby said lever is normally locked in said depressed position, means for releasing said latch whereby said lever is permitted to rise above the level of the rail and in the path of the wheels thereon, releasable mechanism joining said tongue with said lever whereby said tongue is moved by the downward motion of said lever under pressure of the car wheels thereon when said mechanism is closed, and mechanism for closing said releasable mechanism when said lever is raised.

5. In a car switching device, the combination of a switch tongue; a spring holding said tongue in its normal position; a lever; and elastic mechanism containing a spring therein and joining said lever with said tongue, said contained spring being relatively stiffer than said holding spring, whereby said tongue is moved from its normal position by said lever against the action of said holding s ring but is permitted to move independent 0? said lever.

6. In a car switching device, the combination of a switch ton ue a spring holding said tongue in its norma position; a lever; elastic releasable mechanism containing a spring therein and joining said lever with said tongue, said contained s ring being relatively stiffer than said holding spring, whereby said tongue is moved from its normal position by said lever against the action of said holding spring but is permitted to move independent of said lever; and independent mechanism for releasing said tongue from said moving mechanism whereby said holdingspring is free to return said tongue to its normal position.

7. In a switch controlling mechanism, the combination of a tread bar lying longitudinally beside the rail in the path of the car wheels on the rail, an extension on said tread bar lying normally below the level of the rail but being raised above said level by the downward motion of the tread bar under the action of the car wheels, a trigger pivoted to said extension and connected to switch operating mechanism, and means secured to the car and adapted to act on said trigger.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR o. TUNISON.

Witnesses:

M. H. COREY, M. A. VAN HoUsE. 

